This application relates generally to cooking appliances. More particularly, this application relates to outdoor cooking appliances and even more particularly, to venting for outdoor grills.
Outdoor cooking is a very common and enjoyable way of preparing meals. The practice goes back many thousands of years. From a simple campfire, various devices have been developed that increase the outdoor cooking experience. One modern innovation that has been developed is that of a grill that includes a base or lower section with a fuel holding section and a grate that is positionable over the fuel holding section. Many of such cooking appliances are often provided with a cover that may be movably positioned over the lower section and the grate so as to define a cooking enclosure or chamber.
In order to enable a combustible fuel source to burn effectively, such appliances are usually provided with one or more apertures through which a draft can be initiated and maintained. A further development involves control of the draft. Control of the draft (and the temperature of the cooking appliance) is achieved by providing the cooking appliance with a controllable vent. Such controllable vents usually take the form of a disc of stamped aluminum with an upwardly extending tab. The typical vent often has its disc rotatably attached at on exterior wall of the cooking appliance and includes holes that can be positioned to coincide with apertures in the wall of the cooking appliance.
A drawback with such vents is that the tab that is used to manipulate the damper is often small and hard to grasp. In addition, the tab tends to become dangerously hot because of the high thermal conductivity of the base material. A related drawback associated with such vents is that the tab is in close proximity to the exhaust airflow that flows through the vent, which can also be dangerously hot and can easily burn the fingers of a user who is trying to adjust the vent. Another related drawback associated with such vents is that they are located adjacent the surfaces of the cooking appliance, which can itself become very hot. If a user does not continuously exercise caution, the user may inadvertently touch or brush up against the hot exterior surface of the cooking appliance while trying to adjust the vent—resulting in painful burns. Often, a user cannot manipulate the vent with any precision due to its high temperature and the result is imperfectly cooked food.
The location of such prior art vents also has drawbacks. Often, the cooking appliance is left outdoors and the vents are exposed to the elements. And, because they are usually fabricated from material that is not protectively coated or which is not as durable as the other components of the grill, they tend to rust, wear out or oxidize before the rest of the grill. In addition, the exposed tabs are more subject to wear and tear, and they can be easily bent over and become quite difficult and dangerous to grip. It is not uncommon for a tab to break off and a user must improvise by using hand tools or other objects to manipulate and adjust the vent. Such vents are also susceptible to grime and pollutants that can infiltrate between the movable portion and the cooking apparatus surfaces and interfere with the normal operation of the vent. This can cause the vent to freeze in position or become difficult to adjust, resulting in a less enjoyable cooking experience.
The vent control of this application overcomes drawbacks associated with existing prior art grill vents. It is easy to operate, allows precise positioning, and significantly reduces the risk of accidental contact with hot surfaces and exposure to superheated air flow.